I have a few questions.

[Yvonne G]

Hi Courtney: Please take a good look at your baby's tail after his soak (when his skin is supple). I'm not liking the looks of all that black on the tail.

 

[crtnyrc]

His tail has always been dark. What exactly am I looking for?

 

[Yvonne G]

Make sure the tissue is alive and not dried up and dead. Make sure there's no old dried poop stuck to the tail.

 

[crtnyrc]

I will investigate in the morning. We usually use a q-tip to kind of wipe his little bum after he poos in his soak.

 

[crtnyrc]

I investigated the black tail and I don't think it's necrotic. He sure wiggled it a lot while I was investigating! He pooped twice in his soak this morning. Afterward, I picked him up and cleaned his bum with a wet Q-tip. Some of the darkness came off. His tail has been dark since we got him, so I don't know. I got a magnifying glass out and looked at it and I couldn't tell much. The top of it is sort of dark on the edges, but is a lighter color.

Last night, I held the greens for him while he ate out of his tank. He wasn't having that this morning. He only took one bite. I tried something new. When I put him back in his tank, I put him in his food and he turns around and walks back over to his moss pile to sleep. Today, I put his where I usually do but I moved his food dish between him and the moss. He headed for the moss and ended up in the food bowl. The greens were in the way and he started eating them. He ate quite a bit. The most he's had since last Thursday. Then he went through them to get to his moss bed.

About his eyes: He takes a while to open them after I pick him up and he starts soaking. Then he opens them and keeps them open until he goes back to sleep.

 

[Jodie]

You are not using one of the coil bulbs are you? These can cause eye problems. Sounds like he is struggling, but eating is a good sign. Hopefully with attention and hydration he is going to get better.

 

[crtnyrc]

I did for one day, then I read on here how bad they can be. I ordered a tube bulb since I don't live near any stores. We noticed that he seemed kind of squinty and liked to keep them closed since we got him, so I don't know what was used before we got him.

He's definitely getting attention and hydration. If worrying could fix him, he'd be the healthiest tortoise in the world. I had a nightmare last night that I couldn't keep his temps right. Every time I went in to check them, they were entirely different. I woke up and went to check on him.

 

[crtnyrc]

I went into the room this afternoon to do another soak and feeding and guess who was in his food bowl munching away! Shellby was awake and eating. After eating he went over to his cuttlebone and checked it out. He didn't eat any of that then went back to his moss. He used to sleep on top of the moss, but now he kind of burrowed so that there is a little on top of him like he is hiding.

 

[Robber]

When they are that small, they will sometimes have days where they eat much less than usual, so that on its own is not necessarily alarming, nor is the fact that it sleeps a lot, and kind of follows the 'sleep,wake, eat, sleep' routine. Having its eyes closed a lot and low weight is more cause for concern, but you seem to be doing everything right to get it back on track. It probably just wasn't started off great and is taking some time to get going.

The tank is pretty bright and open, so I might suggest adding some more cover and hides to make it more comfortable.

BTW, it appears to just be a very light scuted leopard.

Keep up the good work.

 

[crtnyrc]

Thank you for your reply. He is doing a lot better today. I will put in some hides on the hot end today. His UVB tube bulb cam in yesterday, so I have that in there, too. My calcium powder and TNT also came in the mail. I sprinkled some on his food and on my Russian's food. They both loved it. The little leopard ate and ate and ate. It was definitely the most I've seen him eat so far. He seems more alert and active, too.

 

[ekmeeks]

Sounds like you are doing right with everything. You may want to get some spineless cactus or aloe plants. Christmas cactus are good too. You can order spineless cactus from tortoises supply, they are good people. You can root some of what you buy and in a year or so you want have to order ever again. Mine at that age ate everyday to every other day. But can go several days depending on how much they eat. Grasses are best for them but the love the green veggies more. I took Bermuda grass and timothy and cut it up small and mixed with salad mix. Tort supply also has dandelion dried and chopped very fine the babies love that mixed in salad too

 

[crtnyrc]

I am growing Christmas cactus and aloe. I am looking into setting up a grow light and such for my seeds. It is so hard to get anything to sprout in Iowa in the winter time! Shellby has kind of gotten on an every other day food plan. He will nibble at little one day, then actually eat everything the next day. He still sleeps a lot. I did a rough measurement today. The bottom of his shell is about 1.5 inches long. He weighs 29g. I am going to be weighing him every week.

 

[crtnyrc]

I am pretty sure that Shellby isn't going to survive. There hadn't been any change since I last wrote. Two days ago, I noticed that the bottom of his shell was flexible. Now it is spreading up the sides and the bottom of his shell is looking kind of dark. He is still eating on his own. He's just not eating as much as he used to. Nothing has changed in the care he's been getting. He just seems to be going downhill.

 

[sissyofone]

Im coming in late on this but sounds like a calcium issue to me. Does Shellby get outside time? Im going to read the rest of this thread to see what i missed.

 

[sissyofone]

Okay i went back and reread the thread, IMO it's a calcium issue but im by far no expert. If its warm where you ate take him out for a few min of natural sunlight as much as you can. Natural sunlight is much better than artificial. Are you using a calcium supplement ? Id continue carrot soaks and see if he improves any. Wishing you only the best. Maybe @ Yvonne can help more than myself with the soft shell issue. I also believe @ diamondbp may be able to offer advice to you on this.

 

[Heather H]

hi how is Shellby?

 

[crtnyrc]

I have been giving calcium powder (maybe not enough?). Unfortunately, we live in Iowa so I am unable to get him natural sunlight. I spoke to a breeder today. I didn't buy Shellby from them, they have just been very helpful. They are sending me some Mazuri and probiotics that they have found to be helpful. I think he might have MBD instead of HFS. He is still eating, he just seems weak and very tired. I got a multivitamin to put on his food and I am soaking him in the morning and then he eats. I think I might start soaking him in the afternoon as well, so he will eat again.

It's just day by day at this point. The good news is that he still wants to eat and he is still pooping during his morning soaks, so hopefully he will get better.

 

[Jodie]

Sending good thoughts your way. Eating is always a good sign. I don't know what amount of calcium might be appropriate in this situation. I only sprinkle a small amount on the food 2X per week. Some recommend 3X a week. Too much can be bad too though, so hoping someone with more knowledge than I will come along. Best wishes!

 

[crtnyrc]

Thank you!

 

[sissyofone]

Im gathering some threads for you;
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/111024/